sufiman

angra mainyu is the root of all suffering Zervan (aka God) is the root of angra mainyu so God is the root of all suffering, but that doesn't make Him any less great. In defense of fear: fear helps me behave myself, and it certainly doesn't cause me as much suffering as doing evil does.

I haven't had much time for reading lately and actually seem to have lost the book, but when I find it or re-order it and finish reading it I might start a thread sharing my impressions and quotes from the book... I read it years ago and found it boring, but that was because I was mainly interested in the Mongols and not in Taoism. Here's one of my favorite passages: ...the local population was exasperated by famine and there was perpetual brigandage. Fearing trouble, the Governor went to live on the north side of the river. The Master however, consented to live in this palace, sating with a sigh: "The Man of Tao lets fate lead him whither it will and measure his days as it may choose. Even when a naked sword is at his throat, he does not blench. How then should he be in panic at a rising that has not even taken place? Moreover Good and Evil go their own way, without harming one another". His followers were thus reassured.

On my bed, because I don't have a nighstand: Man and His Becoming According to The Vedanta Initiation and Spiritual Realization The Holy Koran (Pickthall translation) == I'm also reading The Travels of An Alchemist, a medieval book about a Taoist master who was summoned to go speak with Genghis Khan and who was made the main religious authority of China... And I'm almost done with Nihilism: The Root of The Revolution of the Modern Age

Enlightened masters ride their egos like a steed

I used to have the same kinds of addictions (quite badly), but I prayed my them away... I also went psychotic around the same time I broke the addictions, which might have helped. If you ever feel the need for an exorcism, there are advanced sufis who would do it for free. I don't know about your belief system, but in Islam we distinguish possession from simply having a demon in your body and mind, because almost everybody has a demon in their body and mind. The demon will be de-demonized if you just purify yourself and behave well. And if you de-demonize the demon, then you can reach enlightenment without it leaving you.

Hi, I'm a muslim interested in taoism... I have read translations of the Chuangtzu and the Tao te Ching, and the rest of my (very limited) understanding of Taoism comes from the writings of Rene Guenon, who underwent a Taoist initiation... My understanding of the Tao comes from Islam.